The Krakow festival is one of the oldest festivals in Europe and one of the most important for documentaries and short films. The programme not only presented the newest in Polish and international docs and short films it also looked back over the best docs of the past 50 years. Guests had a rare chance to see classics like Jan Sverak's Oscar winning student short Oil Gobblers that launched his career and films from famous directors like Krzysztof Kieslowski
The international doc jury headed by Marian Marzynski emphasized that the overall level of the competition was so high that they felt it necessary to give five honourable mentions in addition to the main prizes.
The festival was also accompanied by the Krakow Film Market one of Europe's most important events for doc, animated and short film makers where 330 films were available to film professionals both through industry screenings and a digital video library. The six day event is supported by EU MEDIA. The Dragon Forum (http://www.dragonforum.pl/) another EU MEDIA supported event presented a four day pitching forum for upcoming projects while the East Silver Caravan (www.eastsilver.net) presented docs from East Silver 2009.
Krakow International Film Festival 2010: Winners
THE GOLDEN HORN for the Director of the Best Documentary Film in the Over 60 Minutes Category for Kaleo La Belle, the director of BEYOND THIS PLACE (Switzerland) for making an extremely intelligent film confronting the values of two generations of Americans, in which a son discovers the past of his father, absent in his life.
THE SILVER HORN for Special Artistic Merit in the Over 60 Minutes Category for Rob Lemkin and Thet Sambath, the directors of ENEMIES OF THE PEOPLE (UK/Cambodia) for persistence and determination, without wanting revenge, in searching for the truth about mass murders by the Khmer Rouge in Cambodia by a filmmaker whose family was killed.
THE GOLDEN HORN for the Director of the Best Documentary Film in the 30-60 Minutes Category for Andrey Gryazev, the director of SANYA AND SPARROW (Russia) for filming a human drama of two people, victims of the early capitalism in Russia and for proving that dialogue in a documentary film can reach the highest level of written dialogue in fictional film.
THE SILVER HORN for Special Artistic Merit in the 30-60 Minutes Category for Marc Isaacs, the director of MEN OF THE CITY (UK) for a skilful cinematic journey into intimate lives of four British people from different social and economic spheres, all victims of the world's financial crisis dreaming about personal freedoms.
THE HONOURABLE MENTIONS:
The Dog Hill, directed by Grzegorz Zariczny (Poland) for the skilful creation of the unity of place and action and for the ability of the filmmaker to gain confidence of the participants in a film about men and animals, in the Polish mountains, far from civilization.
Who Looks After, directed by Muriel Rebora (Argentina) for a heart breaking portrait of a Bolivian single mother, with optimism struggling in Argentina for a better life for her child and herself.
108, directed by Renate Costa (Spain) for a very disciplined film narration and high visual values in a film about a daughter returning to her Paraguayan home and discovering the world of intolerance towards homosexuals.
Osadne, directed by Marko Skop (Czech Republic, Slovakia) for the humour and irony in depicting the mood of a little Slovak village on the outskirts of a united Europe and for creating two unforgettable characters: the mayor and the priest.
As Lilith, directed by Eytan Harris (Israel) for a penetrating portrait of an Israeli woman who, after a suicidal death of her daughter, fights with the surrounding her conservatism and intolerance.
The Student Jury for Documentary Competition consisting of: Joanna Jakubik, Stanisław Liguziński, Witold Mrożek has decided to award the film Let's Run Away from Her directed by Marcin Koszałka (Poland), for the Nightmares reflected in the Structure of Crystal.
INTERNATIONAL SHORT FILM COMPETITION
Having watched all the competition films, the International Short Film Competition Jury of the 50th Krakow Film Festival consisting of: Krzysztof Zanussi - chairman (Poland), Todd Luoto (USA), Georgi Lazarevski (France), Borys Lankosz (Poland), Hubert Sielecki (Austria) have decided to award the following prizes :
THE GOLDEN DRAGON for the Director of the Best Film for Jakub Stożek (Poland), the director of OUT OF REACH,
THE SILVER DRAGON for the Director of the Best Short Documentary Film for Jay Rosenblatt (USA),
the director of THE DARKNESS OF A DAY,
THE SILVER DRAGON for the Director of the Best Short Fiction Film for Ruben Östlund (Sweden),
the director of INCIDENT BY A BANK,
THE SILVER DRAGON for the Director of the Best Short Animated Film for Tim Trawers Hawkins (UK),
the director of 1000 VOICES,
THE HONOURABLE MENTIONS:
Out in that Deep Blue Sea, directed by Kazik Radwanski (Canada)
Cicada, directed by Amiel Courtin -Wilson (Australia)
Millhaven, directed by Bartek Kulas (Poland)
KRAKOW SHORT FILM NOMINEE FOR THE EUROPEAN FILM AWARDS 2010
for the film TUSSILAGO, directed by Jonas Odell (Sweden)
The FIPRESCI (International Film Critics) Jury at 50th Krakow Film Festival, consisting of: Tadeusz Lubelski (Poland), Laurence Boyce (UK), Maria Kornatowska (Poland), after viewing all the competition films, have decided unanimously to award the Czech film I LOVE MY BORING LIFE, directed by Jan Gogola, for a creative reference to the tradition of the Czech cinematography in its combining of a poetic perspective with the ironic observation of everyday life.
The FICC (International Federation of Film Discussion Clubs) Jury at 50th Krakow Film Festival, consisting of: Lila Majchrzycka (Poland), Bálint Szaloóky (Hungary) i John Bjørnebye (Norway), have decided to give the Don Quichote Award for the film Logorama, directed by François Alaux, Hervé de Crécy, Ludovic Houplain (France), for a serious critique of the consumer society and a humorous twist in the animation.
Honourable Mention goes to the film Donde esta Kim Basinger? directed by Edouard Deluc (France, Argentina) for combining both the hilarious and the tragic.
The Student Jury for Short Film Competition, consisting of: Jagoda Janowska, Małgorzata Stasiak, Adam Czaja,
have decided to award the film Incident by a Bank directed by Ruben Östlund (Sweden) for a Swedish definition of action film.
NATIONAL COMPETITION
Having watched all competition films, the National Competition Jury of the 50th Krakow Film Festival, consisting of: Maciej Drygas - Chairman, Barbara Hollender, Krystian Lupa, Andrzej Pągowski, Maria Zmarz-Koczanowicz, have decided to award:
THE GOLDEN HOBBY-HORSE for the Director of the Best Film
For Karolina Bielawska and Julia Ruszkiewicz, the directors of WARSAW AVAILABLE,
THE SILVER HOBBY-HORSE for the Director of the Best Documentary Film
for Igor Chojna, the director of THE SCREENING AT THE TATRY CINEMA,
THE SILVER HOBBY-HORSE for the Director of the Best Animated Film
for Bartek Kulas, the director of MILLHAVEN,
THE SILVER HOBBY-HORSE for the Director of the Best Fiction Film
for Kuba Czekaj, the director of DON'T BE AFRAID OF THE DARK ROOM,
THE HONOURABLE MENTIONS:
Esterhazy, directed by Izabela Plucińska,
Out of Reach, directed by Jakub Stożek
The President of the Association of Polish Filmmakers Award for Marcin Koszałka for the film The Declaration of Immortality,
The President of the Association of Polish Filmmakers Award for the Best Film Editing
for Wojciech Jagiełło, the editor of the film Getting On,
The Maciej Szumowski Award founded by Kino Polska TV for Grzegorz Zariczny for the film The Dog Hill,
The Bronisław Chromy Sculpture for the Best Producer of Polish Short and Documentary Films for Andrzej Wajda Master School of Film Directing,
The Student Jury for National Competition, consisting of: Paulina Haratyk, Michał Lesiak, Małgorzata Steciak, have decided to award the film The Declaration of Immortality directed by Marcin Koszałka (Poland). Thanks to this document, the author stopped running away and began climbing to the top.
People's Choice Award - The Declaration of Immortality directed by Marcin Koszałka
